L&S is planning the second year of its signature program On the Same Page with a look at the most famous speech in American history. The featured book will be Gary Wills' Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America. All new L&S freshmen and transfers will receive a free copy of the book by mail this summer. During the fall semester students will have opportunities to participate in events and classes related to this topic (see sidebar).

The program follows on the success of last year's debut of On the Same Page, which focused on Stephen Hawking’s Briefer History of Time.  

Lincoln at Gettysburg is a Pulitzer Prize-winning examination of the historical, political, philosophical, social, and literary context of Lincoln's historic address. Said L&S Executive Dean Mark Richards, “In Wills and his book we found a combination of broad relevance to many disciplines, intellectual depth, and superb writing and scholarship — an ideal match to the goals of On the Same Page.”

On the Same Page brings faculty and students together around a shared intellectual experience and encourages them to participate in the rich dialogue that characterizes the College of Letters and Science.  

This fall students will find opportunities to talk about the book with professors and fellow students in a variety of contexts, ranging from one-time discussions to semester-long Freshman Seminars. Key activities include a concert and film screenings and a three-day campus visit by author Garry Wills, who will talk with groups of students and faculty and give a public presentation on Sept. 26 in Zellerbach Hall.

While L&S freshmen will receive a free copies of the book, all other Cal students, faculty and staff can get a discount on the book at the ASUC store.

For more information about the event, see On the Same Page. For coverage of last year's event, read the news story.